Winter weather is affecting flights on the East Coast. Here’s what you need to know
Severe winter weather is causing issues for travelers across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast on Thursday, as a combination of snow, sleet, and rain impacts the areas.
As of 10:40 a.m. ET, over 527 flights across the U.S. have been canceled, with around 1,600 additional flights delayed, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking service. The majority of these flight disruptions are happening along the East Coast, particularly between Washington and New York, with Philadelphia experiencing the highest number of cancellations.
Passengers concerned about potential travel interruptions are advised to reach out to their airline regarding rebooking alternatives. Many airlines have announced waivers to give travelers more flexibility in response to the weather-related disruptions.
Additionally, the Department of Transportation mandates that airlines must refund travelers if their flights are canceled or experience significant delays, unless travelers choose to accept other options offered by the airline.
Airline weather waivers
The airlines listed below have announced waivers for the winter storm affecting travel on Thursday. These waivers typically allow passengers at designated airports to modify their flights within a specified timeframe without incurring additional charges or fare differences. Please confirm the specific details and rebooking options with your airline.
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Southwest Airlines
- United Airlines
- JetBlue
- Spirit Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
Your rights if your flight is delayed or canceled
In the event that your flight is canceled for any reason or delayed by more than three hours for domestic flights or over six hours for international flights, you are entitled to a refund if you decide against traveling on the delayed flight or accepting an alternative flight provided by the airline.
The Department of Transportation has a dashboard detailing each airline’s policies on additional compensation and entitlements in case of disruptions to your travel plans.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column. He is based in New York.
